Education & Pedagogy

This volume presents indicators of important developments and trends in American education in 2003. Recurrent themes underscored by the indicators include participation and persistence in education, student performance and other outcomes, the environment for learning, and societal support for education. In addition, this volume contains a special analysis of children's reading achievement and classroom experiences in kindergarten and first grade, with a focus on the school, classroom, and home factors associated with the likelihood of children becoming good readers. Each section in the volume begins with a summary that presents the key point in the indicators to follow. All indicators contain a discussion, a single graph or table on the main indicator page, and one or more supplemental tables. All use the most recent national data available from the National Center for Education Statistics or other sources serving the purpose of the indicators. The volume's many topics are divided into six sections: (1) "Participation in Education"; (2) "Learner Outcomes"; (3) "Student Effort and Educational Progress"; (4) "Context of Elementary and Secondary Education"; (5) "Context of Postsecondary Education"; and (6) "Societal Support for Learning." Appended are supplemental tables, supplemental notes, standard error tables, and a glossary. (WFA)

This resource guide aims to assist local Texas family literacy projects in acquiring resources to better serve their clients in the areas of adult literacy education, early childhood education, parent education, and learning disabilities. Funding resources--corporate and foundation-- are listed. Each area is approached from national, state, and local levels. Section 1 contains resources provided at the national level and further categorized under resources for multiple activities, adult education, early childhood education, parent education, learning disabilities, and corporations and foundations. National resource providers serving more than one category are listed separately as resources for multiple activities. Organizations are presented in charts with this information: name; address; web site address or telephone number; and resource outline. Although foundations and corporations are national in scope, wherever possible, their Texas addresses are incorporated. Section 2 identifies state agencies and regional educational service centers and resources/services they provide; web sites are included for adult literacy education, early childhood education, and parenting and family literacy. Section 3 lists local organizations/agencies and possible resources for adult education; early childhood education; and parenting education. Other community resources that are possible partners are listed. A final list identifies community foundations located in Texas; address and telephone number or web site address; and brief summary. (YLB)

Identifies and assesses various nontraditional approaches to business education in high school, university, and graduate school. "Block Scheduling: Considerations for Business Education" (Gloria Jean Smith, Douglas C. Smith) describes ways to maximize learning for high school students by restructuring class time. "Distance Learning: Challenges and Rewards" (Teresa Yohon) suggests various ways to integrate distance learning technologies into traditional business education. "Developing and Delivering an Interactive Video Course" (Diane C. Davis, H. Pauletta Morse) focuses on the challenges of one distance learning approach. "Managing Groups in the Distance Learning Environment" (Donna R. Everett, Carol Yacht) describes how to manage web-based courses and students. "Curriculum and Faculty Development in Distance Education" (Sandra J. Nelson, Constance H. McLaren) describes attempts to develop policies to support distance education. "Research in Distance Education" (Diane Kruger) discusses research in the differences of quality between distance and traditional education. "Business Teacher Education in an Interdisciplinary Cohort Model (Douglas C. Smith) describes an alternative certification program in secondary education. All articles include substantial references., and there are six tables/figures. (MO)

This report is based, in part, on a conference that examined the implications of virtual schools for public education. It also draws on other studies of online education to highlight issues that policymakers should consider when developing virtual schools. The document presents three major findings: (1) Virtual schools are an important tool for expanding opportunities in public education if states implement them carefully; (2) virtual schools should serve as a supplement to and not a replacement for a comprehensive public-school education; and (3) virtual schools funded with public money should be held accountable to the same broad principles and policies as other forms of public education, including academic outcomes, equity, and religious neutrality. The report provides an overview of the growth of virtual schools, the features of virtual schools, and the benefits and limitations of virtual education. It pays special attention to the need to implement virtual schools while preserving the essential principles of public education, which are to prepare students for citizenship, for work, and for life. To achieve these goals, it suggests that social interactions be built into online education, that there be universal access, that equity and nondiscrimination be a part of virtual education, and that there be public accountability and religious neutrality in online education. The conference agenda and list of participants are appended. (RJM)

This document is one of a series of reports based on the Special Education Expenditure Project, a study of the nation's spending on special education and related services based on analysis of data for the 1999-2000 school year. This report focuses on three questions: "How much is the nation spending on services for students with disabilities?"; "What is the additional expenditure used to educate a student with a disability?"; and "To what extent does the federal government support spending on special education?" A highlights section notes the following: total special education spending (approximately $50 billion); total regular and special education spending on students with disabilities ($77.3 billion); additional expenditure on special education students (about $5,918 per student); percent of total K-12 education expenditures (21%); total spending ratio (1.9 times that of the typical student with no special education needs); and federal funding ($3.7 billion, or $605 per special education student and 7.5% of total special education spending). Separate sections of the report provide an introduction to the study, analysis of total spending on students with disabilities, analysis of allocation of special education expenditures, and analysis of allocation and use of federal funds. Appendices provide data on samples used and the data analyzed. (DB)

The Education Services Department of the Cherokee Nation develops and supports comprehensive educational programs for Cherokee people. This publication describes services in the following areas: education administration, higher education, adult education, co-partner programs, youth activities, Learn and Serve Program, Talking Leaves Job Corps, Sequoyah High School, and early childhood unit. Each section includes a mission statement, contact information, and activities provided by the program. The higher education program assists Cherokee students with college-related expenses by providing scholarship funding. Adult education addresses literacy and basic educational skills by providing classes for Indian adults who have not completed high school. The Johnson-O'Malley co-partner program provides a variety of activities that are designed to challenge American Indian students. Youth activities include the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council, the Trail of Tears Awards for Excellence, and school and community programs. The Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve Program includes federally funded service-learning programs for youth in grades K-12. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the Talking Leaves Job Corps provides opportunities for youth between the ages of 16 and 24. Sequoyah High School is a boarding school, originated in 1871, which provides a stable and controlled education environment. The early childhood unit provides home-based and center-based Head Start and Early Head Start programs. (CDS)

This document provides a complete, if complex, picture of the state of general education in Virginia. A total of 66 institutions, including 24 public two-year, 15 public four-year, 20 private not-for-profit, and 9 private for-profit institutions, participated in one or more parts of this study. The study is divided into five parts. Part One examines the rationale for general education programs by analyzing the formal statements of the philosophy of general education at each institution. Part Two describes the structure of general education programs and its possible options for students. Part Three provides an analysis of actual course-taking patterns of a cohort of students during the years 1993-1997. This section provides lists, by institution, of the courses most commonly taken by the cohort in each of the general education categories defined by that institution. Part Four addresses the methods of assessment used to look at the results of general education programs, and Part Five gives an overview of the process of change in general education programs. Overall, the report shows that the Virginia institutions are actively engaged general education programs and the delivery of high quality education to students. Appendices include General Education Study Committee, General Education Survey Forms, Virginia Community College System's Minimum Requirements for Associate Degrees, and institution by institution listings of course data. (Contains 33 tables.) (JJL)

A survey was conducted to investigate special education teaching conditions. A total of 246 special education teachers, 158 special education administrators, 110 principles, and 72 regular education teachers responded to survey questions that addressed the availability of appropriate materials, the provision of suitable physical facilities, the level of satisfaction for items related to teaching children with exceptionalities, collegiality/professionalism and communication, and the development of Individualized Education Programs. Findings indicate: (1) administrators took a more positive view of the conditions for teaching students with exceptionalities than teachers did; (2) general education teachers have students with exceptional learning needs in their classes, with the largest group being students with learning disabilities; (3) special education teachers report feeling isolated from, and having few opportunities to collaborate with other teachers; (4) teachers in both general and special education report having little or no time to talk and plan collaboratively for students with special needs; (5) special education teachers reported they often do not have the resources and materials they need; and (6) the top three concerns of special education teachers were caseload, time for planning, and paperwork. Appendices include the mission statement and the code of ethics of the Council for Exceptional Children. (CR)

Native American students are often placed in special education programs because their English is poor, they are unprepared for an unfamiliar environment, and traditional classrooms do not accommodate their strengths and needs. The lack of Native American special education teachers at reservation schools compounds these difficulties. Three elementary and middle school special education teachers in a remote Arizona Navajo community were interviewed concerning the ways they worked with their students. All three teachers identified language as a barrier in working with the students, both because the Navajo students had limited English proficiency and because the two Anglo teachers only spoke English. None of the teachers had preservice or inservice education related to working with bilingual children. Difficulties with the English language were mistaken for learning disabilities. The strategies that the teachers used in working with their students were direct communication with students and parents about school expectations, using extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to build self-esteem, creating a structured and comfortable learning environment, breaking tasks down into small steps, and using hands-on manipulative approaches. Recommendations for teacher education programs are concerned with needs in bilingual, special, and multicultural education; culturally relevant education; and the use of community members or bilingual teaching assistants. (TD)

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 called for the U.S. Department of Education to prepare an Annual Performance Plan which links the Department's budget request with its Strategic Plan. To meet that directive, Volume 2 of the Department's Strategic Plan for 1999 is presented here. It includes the program performance plans that cover all of the Department's programs. The Department's budget request aligns budgetary and other programmatic and management resources to help reach Strategic Plan goals and objectives. The Plan discusses education reform, particularly Goals 2000, and the role that education technology will play in these Goals. The specific areas covered in the Plan include education for the disadvantaged, impact aid, class-size reduction and teacher financing, school improvement, the America Reads challenge, Indian education, bilingual and immigrant education, special education, rehabilitation services, vocational and adult education, student financial assistance, higher education, educational research and improvement, and civil rights. All of the programs are designed to help the Department reach its four primary goals: (1) help all students achieve high academic standards; (2) provide a solid foundation for learning; (3) ensure access to postsecondary education and lifelong learning; and (4) make the Department a high-performance organization by focusing on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction. (RJM)

During the 1990s, policymakers have become increasingly attentive to the relationship between education and national economic health and society's need to upgrade and equalize workforce skills, talent, and wages. The U.S. education and training system is fragmented, decentralized, and in flux, as more responsibility moves from federal to state governments and the private sector. To explore how education might meet new economic challenges, the National Center for Research in Vocational Education joined with RAND to sponsor a policy exercise based on Department of Defense "war games." The June 1997 Policy Planning Exercise on Education and the New Economy assembled vocational-education researchers, federal and state vocational-education officials, leaders of interested nonprofit organizations, and business community representatives. Exercises required panelists to allocate funds for a January 1998 training program in a hypothetical "state," redesign a 2002 update of this education and training system, and apply what they had learned to federal policy in the near term. This paper synthesizes panelists observations about the nation's first-chance and second-chance education systems; standards, certifications, and institutional accountability; lifelong learning; teacher training and development; an integrated academic and vocational training system; and the federal government's role. (MLH)

This report provides an overview of the adult education in Florida, demonstrating the societal as well as individual benefits of adult education. The document highlights findings of two reports:"Results of Florida's Fourth Year Adult Education Program Evaluation" and "Adult Education Annual Performance Report." Findings include the following: (1) according to the 1990 Census, approximately 26 percent of adults in Florida over the age of 18 lack a high school diploma; (2) adult education is needed because of individual achievement, economic development, population growth, and social change; (3) target groups include educationally disadvantaged persons, adults with limited English proficiency, homeless adults, persons with disabilities, minority adults, immigrant adults, at-risk youth, institutionalized adults, and incarcerated adults; (4) literacy education service providers include colleges, school districts, correctional institutions, community-based organizations, employers, and libraries; (5) Florida leads the nation in enrollment of students in adult basic education classes; (6) the most important reason given by adult students for being in adult education was to earn a high school diploma or General Educational Development certificate; (7) teachers and administrators give adult education great support; and (8) improvements are needed in support services of students. (KC)

This digest addresses two components in the moral and ethical preparation of teachers: identification and assessment of professional ethical concepts and structures in teacher education, and foundations and specific models for the preservice training of teachers of character. A teacher's first moral obligation is to provide excellent instruction. Teachers with high levels of moral professionalism have a deep obligation to help students learn and to demonstrate their moral professionalism. Teachers' professional ethical dispositions must now be addressed as part of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation process. Four components of ethical education include: moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation, and moral character. Each component is clearly defined, and educational goals, teaching strategies and assessment methods can be derived from those definitions. Professionals in education need objective knowledge about how children form a basic sense of right and wrong and how schools can reinforce appropriate development. An appropriate classroom environment can enhance students' positive dispositions if teachers receive proper training. The digest highlights three teacher education programs offering students the knowledge and professional skills to integrate character education into classroom practices. It concludes that moral and ethical issues, including character education, are slowly becoming part of teacher education programs, with deans and administrators of teacher education programs agreeing that core values can and should be taught in schools. (Contains 21 references). (SM)

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education's report,"Measuring Up 2006: The National Report Card on Higher Education" found that among 27 industrialized nations, the United States has fallen to fifth in the percentage of young adults enrolled in college and has dropped to sixteenth in the proportion of those students who graduate. This hearing discussed ways of overcoming barriers of preparation and financial aid to higher education. Presenting members and witnesses included: Honorable Jason Altmire, Congressional Representative in Congress from Pennsylvania; Honorable Ruben Hinojosa, Chairman, Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness; Honorable Ric Keller, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness; David W. Breneman, David W., Dean and Professor, Curry School of Education; James Merisotis, President, Institute for Higher Education Policy; Don Soifer, Executive Vice President, Lexington Institute; and Ross Wiener, Vice President for Program and Policy, Education Trust. [See ED493360 "Measuring Up 2006: The National Report Card on Higher Education"]

What percent of Americans have been exposed to arts education? Has it changed over time? How do demographic characteristics correlate with arts education? What is the state of arts education in U.S. schools? These research questions are the focus of this report, which is presented in two parts. Using data from the Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts, part one describes trends in arts education among adults over time and examines demographic correlates of arts education. Part two provides an overview of arts education in schools today. This report was contracted by the National Endowment for the Arts (C02-94) to evaluate arts education using the 1982, 1992, and 2002 Surveys of Public Participation in the Arts. This document presents the results of that effort. The findings should prove useful to researchers, arts educators, policy makers, and citizens interested in the state of arts education in America, the relationship between arts education and arts participation, and the state of arts education in public schools. Appended are: (1) Data Used in Analysis; (2) Methodologies; (3) Logistic Regression Models and Results; and (4) SPPA Survey Questions. (Contains 59 tables, 5 figures, 44 footnotes, and a bibliography.)